Preds Re-sign Wagner For 2 More Seasons

Sports this morning - Wednesday briefing

The Orlando Predators signed Barry Wagner for at least two more seasons, the Arena Football League team announced Tuesday.

Wagner, 30, signed a two-year contract with a club option for a third season. Contract terms were not disclosed.

Wagner is coming off his best season. He scored a league-record 310 points, and set club marks for catches (99), receiving yards (1,527), touchdowns (52) and points.

The season earned Wagner an unprecedented sixth consecutive ''Ironman of the Year'' award as the league's best two-way player.

''Barry is the most decorated player in the history of our game and will continue to be an important component of the Predators' offensive and defensive schemes,'' coach Jay Gruden said.

The Preds also re-signed lineman Victor Hall, who ranks among the team's career leaders in sacks, to an undisclosed contract.

Tarver improves to 7-0 with 2nd-round KO

Antonio Tarver sent Roy Francis into the ropes with a staggering right hand in the second round of their light heavyweight bout at Philadelphia's Blue Horizon and won by technical knockout. Tarver, a Tampa resident who is from Orlando, is 7-0 with six KOs. Francis is 5-5-3 with three KOs. After the mandatory standing eight count, Francis declined to continue at 2 minutes, 3 seconds of the second round. Tarver dominated the fight from the onset, scoring with his left hand.

Sampson to coach U.S. soccer team

Steve Sampson learned he will coach the United States soccer team through the World Cup, and the Americans found out they could draw a first-round group that might include Germany, England and Colombia. Or the Americans could get lucky and draw Romania, Scotland and South Korea.

In seeding the teams for Thursday's World Cup draw, the FIFA World Cup organizing committee determined the United States won't have an African opponent in the first round. That means the United States could be in a very strong group or a very weak one.

But Sampson, who took over from Bora Milutinovic on April 14, 1995, definitely will be in charge. ''We are very confident that he and his players are up to the challenge ahead,'' U.S. Soccer Federation President Alan Rothenberg said.

Puerto Rico to ban free travel to Cuba

Puerto Rico's Olympic Committee agreed to abide by new rules banning athletic delegations from going to Cuba without approval from the U.S. Treasury Department.

Previously, Puerto Rico - which is a U.S. commonwealth and fields its own Olympic team - sent delegations to Cuba without the permission of the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Travel to Cuba for most Americans is restricted because of the U.S. economic embargo against the communist country.

MORE OLYMPICS: The IOC brokered an agreement to prevent the Olympic Games from becoming a battle ground between rival sporting goods companies such as Nike and Reebok. The International Olympic Committee and the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry signed an ''Olympic marketing code'' setting out rules for advertising and promotion during the games.

Johnson, Jones win Jesse Owens Award

Allen Johnson and Marion Jones, who earned two gold medals each at the World Outdoor Championships, were chosen respective men's and women's winners of the Jesse Owens Award. The award, in honor of the late United States Olympic star from the 1936 Berlin Games, honors the top amateur athletes. Johnson was the world's best 110-meter hurdler the past three years. Jones is a sprinter and long jumper. Balloting was by media and track officials.